The present invention relates to one-piece, integrally molded plastic stacking chairs. By being molded in one piece of plastic, such chairs are relatively inexpensive and are relatively easy to care for.
Such chairs have been designed to facilitate vertical stacking by nesting one chair on the top of another. They have also been designed to facilitate ganging. These features increase the useability of the chair.
One problem with such prior art chairs is that they tend to be uncomfortable and feel hard when sat upon. Another problem is that they tend to lack lateral stability, i.e., it is difficult to prevent them from wobbling from side to side. Finally, they are typically not very desirable in appearance.
One example is the chair disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D218,559 issued on Sept. 1, 1970, to M. F. Harty et al and entitled CHAIR. While the chair is reasonably attractive in side view, the large gap in the front of the chair to allow foot room underneath the seat makes the chair rather unattractive in front elevation. Further, the open front renders the chair less stable in a lateral direction. An attempt is made to overcome this in U.S. Pat. No. D218,559 by means of inwardly protruding legs at the rear of the chair. Finally, there is little give in the plastic skirts which extend along the side edges of the seat, thereby rendering the chair rather unyielding when one sits in it.
There has been a need in the art for a one-piece, integrally molded plastic stacking chair which not only is stackable and gangable, but which also is comfortable, laterally stable, and has a reasonably attractive appearance.